Skip to main content

Latest by Bruce Brown

uber settles driver background check case man driving in car the city ride share lyft getaround zipcar

By the numbers: Pew Research profiles ride-hailing customers

A Pew study shows that age, education, income, and geography all impact ride-hailing service usage.
flightcar starts over better customer service

Flightcar emerges from shake-up ready to provide better service

Airport car-sharing service FlightCar started well, but car owners and customers alike reported customer services issues. Now it's hitting the reset button.
Tesla Model 3

Tesla sets aggressive goals for Model 3, suppliers not so sure

Based on huge Model 3 reservations and despite supplier doubts, Tesla has ramped up production plans and intends to start testing full runs in July 2017.
Google self-driving fleet

Influential group wants feds to hit the accelerator on driverless and electric cars

SAFE wants Washington regulators to set federal regulations and incentives to encourage both autonomous vehicles and entry-level electric-powered cars.
googles self driving just car got pulled over for too slow google 4

Google limits self-driving project plans with Chrysler to 100 minivans

Google and Fiat Chrysler are building 100 self-driving Pacifica minivans. FCA would like further collaboration but Google is keeping its options open.
Tesla Model 3

Actual number of Tesla Model 3 reservations lower than presumed but still sizable

After speculation that as many as 500,000 Tesla Model 3 reservations were already held, Tesla informed the SEC in a filing the net number is actually 373,000.
Jeep Wrangler

Fiat Chrysler recalls more than half a million Jeep Wranglers for off-road problem

Jeep Wranglers are built to take off road, and excel at it, but more than a half million are being recalled to fix an airbag problem when off-roading.
gm opel emission cutoff zafira minivan

German Transport commission questions emissions of GM and Fiat Chrysler cars

In a reflection of the times since the VW diesel scandal, the German Transport commission is investigating General Motors' Opel division and Fiat Chrysler.
suzuki road test cheat 2016 celerio

Suzuki's mileage road test mistakes prompt government investigation

Suzuki Motor Corporation executives apologized for improper testing. After re-testing resulted in the same fuel results, the company says it didn't cheat.
Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell

Hyundai launching new fuel cell electric vehicle in early 2018

Hyundai Motor is launching its second-generation fuel cell vehicle (FCEV) in 2018. The new vehicle will focus on increased driving range per tank.
maas mobility subscription travel cars app against city

Company applies Netflix-like subscription model to cars, travel

Launching in Finland and Australia, MaaS is getting ready to shake up conventional vehicle ownership and travel with subscriptions services.
exosols 3d printed custom orthotics

Stand up to your foot pain with ExoSOLS, custom 3D-printed orthotics

Do your feet hurt? Manufactured based on photos of your feet, ExoSOLS custom 3D-printed orthotics could be the answer.
roome gesture smart lamp light with usb charger ports copy

Wave your hand to turn on the Roome Smart Lamp

Roome's gesture-controlled smart lamp responds to a wave of your hand or preset controls from a smartphone app. It can also charge your devices via USB.
otto self driving truck otto2 900x597

Ex-Googlers look to put tractor-trailers on autopilot with self-driving tech

A crew led by former Googlers have their sights on converting the country's long-haul trucks to self-driving technology.
uber settles driver background check case man driving in car the city ride share lyft getaround zipcar

Lead plaintiff in Uber class-action suit fires lawyer, objects to settlement offer

Douglas O’Connor, a lead plaintiff in the Uber driver class action lawsuit fired attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan and formally objected to the settlement.
expect more scientific shark week sharkopedia social media

The jelly inside a shark's nose is more electrically sensitive than any man made material on Earth

The jelly sharks and rays use to detect weak electrical signals from fish and other prey may find use in future sensors.
innohome stove guard fire prevention innohome201503 bracket black1

Innohome’s Stove Guard helps prevent cooking fires before they start

Innohome's Stove Guard SGK430 uses two types of heat sensors to detect dangerous temperature increases on the range top and cut power before a fire starts.
ge dishwasher silverware jets 10060 003 pdt825 feature 1 psd

GE dishwashers attack the problem of cleaning tightly packed silverware

Silverware is the toughest dishwashing challenge. Silverware often gets packed tight. GE Cafe and Profile dishwashers will have special silverware jets.
califonia driverless cars volvo car parking

Volvo’s driverless cars won’t make choices that endanger humans

In order for fully autonomous cars to be sold, they will need sufficient communications to avoid dangerous situations on the roadways.
Ephemeral Tattoo Ink

Not sure a tattoo is for you? Ephemeral ink lasts a year then disappears

By using smaller ink molecules than normal tattoo ink, but encapsulating them in a larger structure, startup Ephemeral designed tattoo ink good for a year.
robot car traffic jam 677106 1280

Study: As cars gain autonomy, roads may become more clogged

Driverless cars with and without passengers are projected to more than double the number of miles traveled in the U.S. in the next three decades.
nxp bluebox v2x car

NXP's BlueBox engine powers threat-detection systems for self-driving cars

Video, radar, laser, and vehicle communications systems can't work independently in self-driving cars. NXP makes the chips that pull it all together.
mirrow provocator concept vehicle provocator3

If you'd ever wanted to order a car a la carte, the Mirrow Provocator promises the chance

The Mirrow Provocator is a concept car in a graphic design stage that can hold four passengers with luggage and park perpendicular to the sidewalk.
lyft calendar ride share app

Lyft and drivers must wait for final hearing to see if $27 million is enough

So far Lyft and its drivers have accepted the company's $27 million settlement offer, more than twice the previous $12.5 million.
audi training autonomous human manners rs7 piloted driving concept  car testing 1413273146356

Audi wants its driverless cars to drive like more humans

Audi is training its autonomous cars to drive more like humans for the comfort of passengers and other drivers on the road.
motorcycle chainsaw blender

Never mind stirring, fire up a chainsaw blender!

For an outrageous do-it-yourself weekend project, combine a motorcycle handle bar, a chainsaw, and a blender. Then just stand back and blend away.
car virtual dashboard design audi cockpit

Simpler, more elegant, and safer car dashboards are coming sooner than you might think

With a major shift to single-screen, adaptable and custom-configurable car virtual dashboards, old-fashioned dials and gauges are on the way out.
2016 Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota Land Cruiser Emergency Network passes cell calls to emergency responders

Toyota Land Cruisers, ubiquitous in the Australian outback, serve as an emergency communications network, in an area covering over 19,000 square miles.
mit moral machine google self driving car lexus

Interested in a $20-an-hour job ‘driving’ a Google self-driving car?

Google is hiring driverless car drivers. The firm is looking for "vehicle safety specialists" as part of its self-driving car testing in Chandler, Arizona.
philadelphia police suv license cameras google maps with map decal and plate

Philadelphia police used a ‘Google Maps’ SUV to read license plates

A police SUV was spotted in Philadelphia with Google Maps decals and two license plate surveillance cameras. The police said the decals would be removed.
da vinci dna recovery grave italian historical objects with vitruvian man

Recovery of da Vinci’s DNA could be key to confirming his burial site

Leonardo Da Vinci died in 1519 but his burial site remains a mystery. Researchers hope to recover DNA from painting to confirm the location of his grave and study creativity.
Zika virus mosquito

No cure yet cure for Zika or Ebola? IBM is seeking the answer for all viruses

IBM Research and Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) announced a breakthrough to fight viral diseases like Zika and Ebola.
tesla s summon under trailer truck

An unoccupied Tesla Model S drove itself under a parked trailer. Who’s at fault?

A Utah man's Tesla Model S drove under a parked trailer with the Summon feature. Tesla's records show the man activated Summon; he says the car went rogue.
2016 NHTSA Fatality Report

Study: THC blood tests not a reliable measure of marijuana impairment

With a threatening increase in marijuana-related traffic fatalities, blood THC levels have been found ineffective in measuring impairment.